How to hire a line leader

How to hire a line leader, step by step

Here's a step-by-step line leader hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a line leader job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new line leader
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a line leader do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your line leader job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a line leader for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A line leader's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, line leaders from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of line leaders and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Line Leader	Description	Hourly rate
   Line Leader		$11-26
   3rd Shift Supervisor	A 3rd shift supervisor is responsible for monitoring the operations and staff performance of a specific shift. 3rd shift supervisors strategize on effective business techniques to maximize staff's productivity and improve customers' experience... Show more	$12-19
   Shift Production Supervisor	A shift production supervisor is in charge of overseeing business operations, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to reach production standards and production targets, supervising and assessing staff performance, delegating tasks, managing schedules, and prioritizing customer satisfaction... Show more	$10-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Continuous Improvement
   • Customer Service
   • Safety Procedures
   • Quality Checks
   • Assembly Line
   • GMP
   • ISO
   • Production Equipment
   • Quality Standards
   • Troubleshoot
   • Preventative Maintenance
   • Safety Standards
   • Quality Products
   • Leadership

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead Kaizen event to establish best practices for estimating methodology and reporting templates.
   • Manage and develop associates base on organizational and developmental needs/conduct monthly one-on-ones with each employee to provide guidance and leadership.
   • Gain knowledge of USDA, OSHA, HACCP, VPP, and ISO regulations and requirements within a manufacturing environment.
   • Walk with QA and USDA around floor to ensure are that all areas are up to standards and ready for production.
   • Used SMT to place capacitors onto PCB.
   • Develop and maintain a safe manufacturing environment by assuring compliance with OSHA and CFR applicable as company policies.

   More line leader duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the line leader job description is a good way to get more applicants. A line leader salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a line leader in Illinois may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level line leader. Additionally, a line leader with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average line leader salary

   $36,217yearly

   $17.41 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level line leader salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average line leader salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$52,672	$25
   2	New York	$51,753	$25
   3	California	$46,727	$22
   4	Pennsylvania	$44,200	$21
   5	New Jersey	$44,186	$21
   6	Washington	$39,446	$19
   7	Michigan	$38,815	$19
   8	Wisconsin	$38,796	$19
   9	Minnesota	$38,003	$18
   10	Utah	$37,980	$18
   11	Iowa	$37,107	$18
   12	Texas	$36,900	$18
   13	Colorado	$35,948	$17
   14	Georgia	$35,105	$17
   15	Ohio	$35,036	$17
   16	Virginia	$34,643	$17
   17	Tennessee	$34,118	$16
   18	North Carolina	$33,823	$16
   19	Illinois	$33,555	$16
   20	Indiana	$32,718	$16

   Average line leader salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Microsoft	$129,885	$62.44	20
   2	Merck	$101,473	$48.79	13
   3	NTT Data International L.L.C.	$97,810	$47.02	36
   4	IBM	$93,432	$44.92	135
   5	IDEX	$75,719	$36.40	15
   6	ResMed	$67,767	$32.58	3
   7	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$67,709	$32.55	10
   8	General Electric	$66,904	$32.17	326
   9	ABB	$65,700	$31.59	35
   10	AECOM	$61,486	$29.56	31
   11	BNY Mellon	$56,159	$27.00	3
   12	Johnson & Johnson	$54,359	$26.13	11
   13	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$52,458	$25.22	204
   14	PerkinElmer	$49,307	$23.71
   15	Gillette	$42,807	$20.58
   16	Alere	$42,748	$20.55
   17	Verisk Analytics	$42,710	$20.53	1
   18	Lippert Components	$42,603	$20.48	6
   19	HDR	$40,902	$19.66	55
   20	Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego	$40,205	$19.33

4. Writing a line leader job description

   A line leader job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a line leader job description:

   Line leader job description example

   PetIQ provides convenient and affordable pet health and wellness products and veterinary services to pets and their families through retail and ecommerce channels across the country. We are advocates for pet parents, because we believe that all pet parents should be able to provide necessary care that enhances the lives of their pets.
   Why join the PetIQ Team?
   · Great company culture
   · Company is in growth mode, come be a part of our exciting growth
   
   Full time employee benefits include:
   · Medical, Dental, Vision
   · Flex Spending Account
   · Company Paid Life Insurance
   · 401(k) with Company Match
   · Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
   · Paid Holidays and PTO
   · Short and Long Term Disability Insurance
   
   PetIQ is the premier provider of pet wellness products and services. Our goal is to deliver a smarter way for pet parents to help their pets live their best lives through convenient access to affordable products and services. We are looking to fill an open position of Line Lead. The Line Lead is the first point of contact for production line workers. They are responsible for the routine communication of job assignments, training for specific product runs, and placement of Line Workers in assignments as required for the day. They coordinate activities of workers engaged in machine operating, packing, inspecting, and other processes
   Essential Functions/Job DutiesTo perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty with high efficiencies. Collaborates with Spider to verify components for job order are the correct components and are available at production line Assigns workers to work stations to meet production requirements Monitors production and adjusts work assignments, supply of material, and machine operation when necessary.Review job order instructions with Line team members Train Line team members Performs basic adjustments on various machines.Performs basic line / job change-over operations Prepare paperwork for skid tickets, line checks, and quality checks Update production metrics on whiteboard Refers extensive machine repairs to maintenance personnel.Complete final paperwork and ensure content is accurate per Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Perform quality checks of the line May lead a team of 2-9 employees Perform other duties as needed or assigned
   What's needed to be successful Technical Skills - Shares expertise with others.Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; responds well to questions Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit.Leadership - Inspires and motivates others to perform well.Ethics - Treats people with respect; Works with integrity and ethically.Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time Strives to increase productivity
   Requirements1+ years of experience in leading a manufacturing team 1+ years of experience using a computer Basic math skills Ability to read and carry out detailed written and/or oral instructions. Ability to use a counting scale
   Education & TrainingHigh School diploma or GED equivalent required
   Very clean and temperature controlled plant with a great team.
   We also have 4 day work weeks with occasional overtime on Friday
   
   PetIQ is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law.
   
   By submitting this application, I certify that my answers are true and complete to the best of my knowledge. If this application leads to employment, I understand that false or misleading information in my application or interview may result in my release.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find line leaders for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any line leaders they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level line leaders with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your line leader job on Zippia to find and recruit line leader candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting line leaders requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new line leader

   Once you've decided on a perfect line leader candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new line leader. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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